Stuck on You
by I.M. Elizabeth
Summary: Mello finds himself forced to admit slight affection for the person he cares about   Mello/OC


**Stuck On You**

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Death Note in any way, shape or form. However, I do own the writing in this fiction and the characters Layla Levandi, Amorette, and Nikolai. Please do not use them without my written permission_.

The air of Winchester, England was colder than Mello remembered as he walked through the courtyard of Wammy's House. Several small children roamed through the yard playing games and the sound of laughter was slightly comforting.

Ever since he and Layla had returned to Wammy's earlier in the month he'd noticed Layla spending an awful lot of time there. When she'd come back to their hotel room, usually later in the evening she'd never really explain what she was doing there. Mello was never fond of secrecy from her, but he didn't press it. He'd find out on his own.

He opened the huge door, then stepped inside, glancing around at many of the little children that sat playing and studying inside of the drawing room. Suddenly, he felt a small tug on his his jacket tail. A small girl with blond hair in braided pigtails looked up at him. She couldn't have been much older than nine, and she wore a pair of striped overalls that looked worn with grass stains and play.

She looked shy all of a sudden, and bit her lip in a way that reminded Mello of Layla. Kids were always so hard to please, so shy and easily frightened. Mello was willing to bet he looked almost like the grim reaper with his long black coat and all black attire.

Kneeling down on his haunches, he extended a gloved hand to the little girl.

"Hello. I'm Mello." he said calmly.

She broke into a wide smile, her bright green eyes shining as she took Mello's hand. "Amorette." she said softly, and Mello could detect the lilting French in her accent.

"That's pretty." Mello commented, giving her a tiny smile.

She beamed at him, then fingered one of her braids. "Are you here to see Ms. Layla?"

Mello blinked, "How did you guess?"

She shrugged, her tiny shoulders moving slightly. "Ever since she came here, everyone wants to see her."

"Is that so?" Mello asked, pulling out a bar of chocolate out of his pocket. He unwrapped the foil, then stared at the candy. He broke it in half, then handed Amorette one of the halves. She thanked him in French, then tottered behind him.

"Everyone likes Ms. Layla, she paints our portraits." she said after a moment, popping a square of the chocolate on her tongue.

"Is that all she does?" Mello asked, trying to keep the possessiveness out of his tone.

Amorette faltered, "Well...not really. She visits Nikolai a lot."

Jealously gripped Mello's heart like a vice. Nikolai was a common Estonian name, and Mello had suspicions that she had been visiting another man after she came home one night with a pretty bracelet on her wrist. Had she wanted someone more close to her traditions? She knew her brother already didn't approve of him being Russian. Estonians and Russians weren't exactly on the best of terms as it was anyway.

"Amorette," he said softly, "Where is Layla now?"

_Please say painting,_ he begged mentally, _please, please tell me she's painting._

As much as they fought, swore, and ripped at each other's throats like wolves, there was no one in the world who Mello would rather be around. He often told himself that he wanted her to leave, get away from his vicious craziness before he killed her. Mello himself knew that he was terrible for her, but when it came down to it, he would die if she ever truly left him. Besides no one else in the world could match his temper like Layla.

"She's upstairs with Nikolai."

_Upstairs, where the bedrooms are._ Mello thought and he wondered vaguely if the sinking feeling in his chest was his heart imploding into thousands of brittle pieces.

"Will you take me there?" he asked numbly.

Amorette noticed the change in his voice, but mercifully didn't say anything.

She led him up the stairs where the hallway of orphan's bedrooms loomed over him like a vicious hall of judgement. With each step he took, the words 'she doesn't love you' echoed in his head like a siren.

Suddenly Amorette stopped at a door in the middle of the hallway. Mello swallowed hard then glanced away from the little girl. "What's she doing?"

The girl looked up at Mello confused, "She's tutoring."

_Oh god!_ His brain screamed, _that's exactly the kind of excuse she would make too._

The little girl reached up a hand to jiggle the doorknob and Mello sighed, trying to brace himself for the image of Layla underneath someone else.

_ She'll be crying out his name._

_ Looking at him with love._

_ She'd be happy._

And...completely...clothed? Mello stared blankly at the image before him. Layla sat at a desk, slowly and painstakingly teaching a little boy to count in English. She held up her hands, showing him a finger for each number, saying the word in Estonian once, then again in English while he repeated it after her.

"Ms. Layla," Amorette said softly.

Layla looked up and smiled gently at the little girl. "Hello Amorette."

"A man is here to see you."

Layla's bright grey eyes flickered up to Mello's surprised face and she sighed, "Hello to you too Mello...you nosy..."

Then she turned to the little boy, speaking to him in soft Estonian before standing to go and see Mello.

She told Amorette to go help Nikolai, and once she was out of earshot she pushed her hands on Mello's chest, looking angry.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, sounding angry.

"Just checking on you!" he hissed back, "You've barely been at our hotel at all."

"You don't need to check on me Mello, I'm safe. You always assume I need some kind of fucking protection. I'm not stupid."

He growled at her, "I didn't think you needed protection. I thought...never mind."

Now she folded her arms, looking annoyed, "Thought what Mello? Why don't you ever trust me, eh? You always think I'm going off getting into trouble."

Now, he flushed, red with shame. However, Layla read the look in his eyes and tilted her head. "What scheme did your crazy imagination tell you this time?"

"I thought you...found someone else." he mumbled, saying this last part so quietly that she had to lean in to hear.

"Of course not!" she exclaimed, "God, you're always suspecting me! I fucking hate it Mello! I can't do anything without you breathing down my neck!"

"I just don't want to lose you!" he barked.

Then, everything seemed to fall silent, the wind whistling outside like a banshee.

It was the first time Mello had ever admitted out loud he cared for her, even slightly.

Her face softened and she wrapped her arms around his waist. The gesture made him feel odd, and he awkwardly placed a hand on her back.

"But, what about the bracelet?"

She glanced at the bracelet on her wrist, then sighed. "It was from Nikolai. He's new...and from Estonia. He lost his parents in a car accident, and no one has been teaching him English. He was so grateful to have someone to talk to...he wouldn't let me leave without it."

"Oh," he said lamely.

"Besides," she said, leaning up to place a tender kiss on his lips, "After all that work patching you up, you think I'd leave you behind so easy? I'm stuck to you like glue."

Suddenly, there was a soft clearing of a throat. Mello and Layla glanced over to see Amorette looking over at them.

"Ms. Layla," she said softly, "Is Mr. Mello your boyfriend?"

"Of course not!" Mello said teasingly, "She's just my chocolate supplier."

"Chocolate kiss supplier more like," Layla muttered, kissing Mello's cheek and laughing gently against his throat.


End file.
